The power generating plant operates a Mitsubishi travelling stoker boiler capable of producing 60 tonnes of steam per hour. It was designed to burn furnace oil or coal; the latter fuel was burnt in combination with up to 10% bark. The power boiler supplies steam to a co-generating turbine that produces heat energy for process and 10 MW power as a by-product. The additional (40 tph) steam requirement is supplied by the chemical recovery boiler that burns concentrated black liquor as fuel. The plant was designed without due consideration for energy audit and conservation. Exportation of surplus power was not contemplated; that would have contravened the energy policy in place at the time.
The report seeks to address these shortcomings in the plant design and suggests action to be taken by an entrepreneur contemplating investing in power generation to avoid these and other unfortunate omissions.
The chips and bark size distribution profiles along with moisture content play an important role at the design stage to avoid potential operational problems in the chips feeding system and in the boiler furnace.
In case of agricultural and forestry waste use in the boiler fuel plantations ownership and distance from the plant should be considered at the initial stage with a view to sustained operations and cost control. The report gives a glimpse into other boiler alternatives and turbine interconnections, but with emphasis on plant location in view of water availability and economic use of waste products.
A number of recommendations have been made in the text based on the authorís field experience in the co-generation power plant.

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